Arborfield Cross
{{Distinguish|Arborfield, Saskatchewan|Arborfield}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country = England
|official_name= Arborfield Cross
|static_image= Arborfield Cross - geograph.org.uk - 64524.jpg
|static_image_width= 240px
|static_image_caption= Roundabout in Arborfield Cross
|coordinates = {{coord|51.396873|-0.905288|display=inline,title}}
|civil_parish= Arborfield and Newland
|unitary_england= Wokingham
|region= South East England
|lieutenancy_england= Berkshire
|os_grid_reference= SU761670
}}
Arborfield Cross is a village in the civil parish of Arborfield and Newland in the Borough of Wokingham in the English county of Berkshire.
Location
It is situated at what was a cross-roads but is now a roundabout on the A327 road, 3 miles south-east of Reading, 3 miles west of Wokingham, and half a mile to the east of the smaller village of Arborfield. Recently, both Arborfield and Arborfield Cross have become collectively known as Arborfield, there are no signs marking the boundary of Arborfield Cross.
Amenities
File:Arborfield Court, 1900-1909.jpg
The village features a diverse range of residential architecture, ranging from beautiful 15th-century cottages through to modern housing.{{Cite web | url = http://www.arborfieldhistory.org.uk | title =Arborfield Local History}} It includes five listed properties, including the Grade II listed Arborfield Court.{{Cite web | url = https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/sites/wokingham/files/2023-06/Arborfield%20%26%20Newland%20VDS.pdf| title =Arborfield & Newland Village Design Statement}} The Swan Inn, formerly the local public house, closed its doors in 2019.{{Cite web | url = http://www.davidesp.com/theswan/goto/index.html | title =The Swan}} Another prominent establishment in the village is the Grade II listed Bull Inn,{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebullinn-arborfield.co.uk |title=The Bull Inn |url-status = dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125212950/http://www.thebullinn-arborfield.co.uk/ |archivedate=2009-11-25 }} located near a farm park. Additional amenities include a village store and a garage where drivers can get their cars washed. Historically, the village hosted an annual charitable music event, Rock in the Rec, held each summer on a Saturday until its discontinuation in 2010.{{Cite web | url = http://www.rockintherec.com/ | title =Rock in the Rec}} The park is home to the Arborfield Football Club. The southern section of the village houses a Royal British Legion Club, while the Henry Street Garden Centre is located to the west. Educational services are provided by the Coombes Primary School, which is situated adjacent to the Coombes Woods.
There is a war memorial cross that commemorates the 31 people from Arborfield, Newland and Barkham who died or went missing in both world wars.{{Cite web | url = https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/17158/War-Memorial-Arborfield-Newland-and-Barkham.htm| title =War Memorial Arborfield, Newland and Barkham}}
Royal Connection
In the winter of 1924, The Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII and Duke of Windsor) suffered a heavy fall at the first fence of a race for Lord Cavan's Cup held at the Arborfield Cross Point-to-Point meeting. The Prince, who was known for his daredevil horsemanship, something that his father, George V, tried to stop, was concussed for approximately half an hour. This led to questions being raised in the House of Commons as to the safe well-being of the Prince, and the Prime Minister wrote to the Prince on 19 March 1924, appealing to the Prince to give up competitive riding. A subsequent letter to the Prince from his father, dated 30 March 1924, asked for similar but confirmed that the Prince could still enjoy hunting and playing polo. {{Citation | title =Duke of Windsor, A King's Story, 1951, p195-197, Cassell and Co, London}}
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Wokingham District}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Arborfield Cross}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Villages in Berkshire
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